Carton construction



Oct. 29, 1929 R. w. PHILLIPS CARTON CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Russel/[Z pk/ /o as 4%, (TM; @43 a M I 1? ATTORNEYS Oct. 29, 1929. R. W. PHILLIPS CARTON CONSTRUCTION 7 Filed Feb. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR Posse P/W/qos BY g -g,2, .4 ATTORNEYKS Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTON CONSTRUCTION Application filed February 24, 1928.

This invention relates to the construction of boxes or cartons intended to be used more especially as protective containers for the shipment of merchandise. The invention has to do particularly with shipping containers which are usually made of fibrous material, such for example as heavy cardboard, ply-board, corrugated board, and the like.

At present the practice in shipping overcoats from the manufacturer to the distributor is to pack them flat in boxes of the telescope type made of relatively heavy -paper board. Approximately 3 over-coats are laid, without folding, on one another in each box.

The cover is then put on and the box is wrapped with twine. From 7 to 1 pounds of large twine is used for wrapping each box.

This twine costs from 9e to 12 and in addition, it increases the weight of the package materially. Furthermore, even when a box of the telescope type is securely tied there is a considerable tendency for the box to weave or become warped under the weight of its contents, since there is nothing tending to resist relative longitudinal motion between the top and bottom walls of the box intermediate the ends of the box.

The container of my invention is well adapted for the use just described because it is so constructed that it is practically impossible for weaving or warping to take place and it thus affords a high degree of protection to its contents. In addition, it is so constructed that the use of twine is entirely eliminated and it can be closed and sealed with considerably less effort than is required to tie up a telescope type of box.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a shipping container of improved construction and, more particularly, includ ing among its features, increased protection to its contents, simplicity in use; cheapness; the occupancy of a small amount of storage space prior to packing articles in it, and the forming of the container from sheet material with a minimum of wastage.

Another object of the invention is to construct a shipping container out of a single 59 piece of suitable sheet material within which Serial No. 256,551.

the article to be shipped may be enclosed with relatively small effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide :1 single flat sheet of materialwhich can be readily folded to form a shipping container, and which in addition, because of its particular construction, is especially easy to seal after it has been formed into a container.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, a container which is adapted particularly for shipping heavy articles of clothing, such for example, as overcoats, cloaks and suits. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the completely sealed container or shipping box;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the single flat sheet from which the container shown in l is constructed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the folding of the sheet of Fig. 2 into the form of a container, with the flaps which constitute the front side of the container shown just previous to being Closed and sealed, and also showing the flaps which constitute the end closures of the container as they are before being folded to closed position;

Fig. 4 is a similar perspective View showing the front side closed and sealed, and with the flaps which constitute the end closures of the container in position just previous to closing and sealing;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the plane 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the plane 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings and first to Fig. 2, the single flat sheet of material shown in this figure is scored and slitted to form the several wall portions and flap portions all hinged together alongthe lines of scoring, these respective portions taking appropriate positions to form corresponding walls of the container when the sheet is folded as will be later described. The sheet is scored along the spaced parallel lines 10, 11., 12 and 13 to form respectively the front side flap 1 1, the bottom wall 15, the rear side wall 16, the top wall 17 and the plurality of front side flaps 18, 19 and 20. These front side flaps 18, 19 and 20 are separated from one another by slits 21 and 22 which extend inwardly from the margin of the sheet to the scoring line 13.

The sheet is also scored along the spa-ced parallel lines 23 and 24 which are at right angles to the scoring lines 10 to 13 inclusive and. which are positioned near the opposite side margins of the sheet, substantially in alignment with the outside edges of the front side flaps 18 and 20. The slits 25 and ex tending from the opposite side margins of the sheet to the scorings 23 and 24 respectively form flaps 27 and 28 which are hinged along a portion of the scoring lines 23 and 24 t0 the front side flap 14, which in turn is hinged to the bottom wall 15 along scoring line 10. End flaps 25 and 26 are hinged respectively along the scoring lines 23 and 24 to the opposite ends of the bottom wall 15.

The rear side wall 16 is hinged to the bottom wall 15 along the scoring line 11, and top wall 17 is hinged to rear side wall 16 along scoring line 12. "Flaps 29 and which are similar to flaps 27 and 28 are hinged along scoring lines 23 and 24 respectively to the opposite ends of rear sidewall 16. These flaps 29 and 30 are formed by slits extending inwardly from the opposite side margins of the sheet to scoring lines 23 and A plurality of flaps 31, 32-and 33 and similar flaps 31, 32 ant 33 are hingedto the opposite ends of the top wall 17 along the scoring lines 23 3 and 24 respectively, the flaps being formed by appropriate slits cut into the respective scoring lines from the opposite margins of the sheet. 7

As shown in Fig. 2 the flaps 18, 19 and 20, and also the flaps 31, 32 and 33, and 31, 32 and 33 are of substantially equal Width. The dimensions of these flaps, however, will depend upon the dimensions and proportions of the container which it is desired to construct. The length of the flaps outwardly from the scoring lines 13, 23 and 24 respectively will depend upon the height of the container, that is, upon the distance between the walls 15 and 17 in the finished container. The widths of the several flaps may be chosen as desired, as well as the number of the flaps. It is preferable, however, to have a flap located centrally of the side edge of the wall 1'7, and also centrally of each of the end edges. These central flaps 1 and 32 respective'y, how-- ever, may be either narrower or wider than their neighboring flaps, as desired. In coinparatively long boxes it is preferable to make the central flap 19 narrower than flaps 18 and '20. Also in very. wide containers it is desirable to make the central flaps 32 and 32 narrower than their adjacent flaps.

The container is constructed from the sheet shown in Fig. lOby laying the sheet with the bottom wall 15- resting upon a convenient table or bench and folding the rear side wall 16 and top wall 17 upwardly about the scoring lines 11 and 12 respectively. If the bench or table used is not of much greater width than the bottom wall 15, this permits the walls 16 and 17' with their attached flaps to be supported in a fairly upright position where they are out of the way and do not take up valuable space.

The articles to be enclosed in the container are then placed upon the bottom wall 15, and the top wall 17 is folded downwardly from its previous upright position just described into the position shown in Fig. 3, the front side flaps 18 and 20 which are hinged thereto, being carried downwardly until their outer edges 34 rest upon the bottom 15 along the scoring line 10. After this the front ide flap 14 which is hinged to the bottom wall 15 is folded upwardly as shown in Fig. 3, the y central flap 19 being lifted over the upper ed 'e of this flap so as to remain on the outside thereof. The folding of the front side flap 14 is continued to bring it flat'against the outside surfaces of the flapslS and 20, and flap 19 is then folded down on the outside of front side flap 14 and secured in place by means of a gummed strip 35 of paper, cloth or other suitable binding material. This strip 35 may conveniently be carried around the bottom corner of the box for this purpose, as shown in Figs. 4 and 1.

The firm footing of the edges along the inside bottom corners of the container, together with the tying together of the upper and lower corners of the box at a point inter mediate the ends of the box by means of the flap 19 and the bindingstrip 35, immediately gives a remarkable degree of stiffness and rigidity to the partiallycompletely container. This has been accomplished also with comparatively little effort on the part of the packer.

The packer having thus firmly secured the front side of the container, next closes one end, which we will assume is the end nearest the observer in Figs. 3 and 4. The closing of front side flap 14 against the front side flaps 18 and 20 brings the flap 27 into position between the end flap 25 and the flap 33. Flap 29 has already turned inward ly of itself, and these two flaps 27 and 29 are folded inwardly until they are at right angles to the sides of the box. .Then flaps and 33 are folded downwardly on the outside of flaps 29 and 27 respectively, bottom wall flap 25 is folded upwardly against the outside of flaps 31 and 33, the center flap 32, being lifted over the upper edge of flap 25, asindicatedin Fig. 4. Then flap 32 is folded down against the outside of flap 25, and secured in that position by means of a second strip of binding tape 36. This coinpletes this end of the container.

The flaps 28, 30, 26, 31, 32 and 33 are folded to form the opposite end of the container in exactly the same manner as just described, and flap 32' is secured to the outside of flap 26 by means of a strip of binding tape which extends around the corners and onto the bottom of the container in the same way as does strip 36.

This completes the sealing of the container when-the container is of small or moderate size, and particularly when the width of the central flaps 19, 32 and 32 are large in comparison to the dimensions of their respective faces, and are secured by relatively wide binding tapes. However, where it is necessary that the container possess considerable strength as in the case of an overcoat box, binding tape is run along the corners of two ends and one side of the box, as shown in Fig. 1. This secures the outer corners of the outside flaps in place so that they cannot be bent outwardly and broken in handling. It also serves to increase the resistance of the container to the entrance of dust.

It will be observed that the front side flap 14 is engaged on the inside by flaps 18 and 20 and on the outside by flap 19 which is positioned between flaps 18 and 20, and that the closing of flap 19 on the outside tends to force flap 14: into the same plane with flaps 18 and 20 and thereby exerts a clamping action upon flap 1 1. This clamping action is greater at the upper edge of flap 1 where it passes beneath flap 19. This clamping action is obtained with a relatively small pull on the binding tape holding the end of flap 19. In this way-the bottom wall 15 of the box is secured to the top wall 17 by a side wall structure which possesses a high degree of rigidity in the plane of the direction of those forces which tend to produce warping or weaving.

The structure of each of the end walls is exactly similar to the structure of the side walls except for the presence of the additional flaps 27 to 30 inclusive, so that the end walls are even stronger than the front side wall. The strength, rigidity, resistance to opening, and protection to the contents of the container afforded by the front side and end side wills are considerably greater than in containers of telescoped construction. The same is true also of the rear wall 16 inasmuch as this wall is permanently secured to the bottom wall 15 and the top wall 17 preferably by being made integral therewith.

The compressive strength of containers made in accordance with the invention is also high, as will be seen from the sectional views of Figs. 5 and 6. Thus the front side wall and end side walls have two thicknesses of material extending throughout the entire lengths of these sides from the bottom to the top of the box, and each of the end side walls have in the flaps 27 to 30 inclusive one additional thickness of material extending a portion of the length of each end.

Returning again to Fig. 2 showing the blank from which the box is constructed, it will be seen that there is no waste except the small squares at two corners, and the narrow strips which are cut out in making the slits'between the various tabs. My improved container thus requires less material than a telescoping box, the area of material saved, being substantially the area of one side wall of the box.

I claim:

1. A packing box comprising a single sheet of material folded along spaced parallel lines to form the bottom, top, and one side of a hollow polyhedron, said sheet having an extension along the closing edge of said polyhedron, said extension being equal in width to the height of-the polyhedron and overlapping a side of the polyhedron on the inside, and a flap equal in width to the height of the polyhedron and overlapping the exterior of said side and secured thereto.

2. A shipping container comprising a single sheet of material folded along spaced parallel lines to form the bottom wall, one side wall, and top wall of the container, the remaining side wall comprising a flap equal in width to the height of the container and folded upwardly from the bottom wall, and a plurality of flaps folded downwardly from the top wall, said flaps being equal in width to the height of the container and overlapping said upwardly folded flap, one of said flaps being folded over the outside of said upwardly folded flap and secured thereto.

3. A container having one side wall permanently secured to the bottom and top walls of the container, and each of said other side walls comprising a flap folded upwardly from the bottom wall of the container, and a plurality of flaps folded downwardly from the top wall of the container, some of said flaps overlapping said upwardly folded flap on the inside, and one of said flaps overlapping said upwardly folded flap on the outside and secured thereto, the flaps overlapping said upwardly folded flap on the inside being equal in width to the height of the container.

4. A container having one side wall per manently secured to the bottom and top walls, and each of said other side walls comprising a flap equal in width to the height of the container folded upwardly from the bottom wall of the container, a flap folded downwardly from substantially the center of the top wall of the container and overlapping said upwardly folded flap on the outside thereof and secured thereto, and a flap on each side of said central flap equal in width to the height of the container folded downwardly from the top wall of the container and overlapping said upwardly folded flap on the inside thereof.

5. A container having one side wall permanently secured to the bottom and top walls of the container, the opposite side wall comprising a flap equal in width to the height of the container folded upwardly from the bottom wall of the container, and a plurality of flaps folded downwardly from the top wall of the container, some of said flaps being equal in width to the height of the container and overlapping said upwardly folded flap on the inside, and one of said flaps overlapping said upwardly folded flap on the outside thereof and secured thereto, and said container having an end wall comprising a laterally folded inner flap hinged to each side wall, an upwardly folded flap hinged to the bottom wall and a plurality of flaps hinged to the top wall and overlapping said upwardly folded flap, one of said flaps being folded over the outside of said upwardly folded flap and secured thereto.

6. A packing box comprising a single sheet of material folded along spaced parallel lines to form the bottom, top and one side of a hollow polyhedron, said sheet having an extension along the closing edge of said polyhedron, said extension being equal in width to the height of the polyhedron and overlapping a side of the polyhedron on the inside, and a flap overlapping the exterior of said side and secured thereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. RUSSELL W. PHILLIPS. 

